Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are both on over 10,000 ATP points
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Carlos Alcaraz: 'I need to improve, but I will remain aggressive'
Carlos Alcaraz made a winning start at the Cincinnati Masters. World no. 2 battled past Damir Dzumhur 6-1, 2-6, 6-3 in an hour and 41 minutes, recovering from a terrible second set and sealing the deal in the decider.
The Spaniard understands he needs to raise his level in the upcoming rounds. He disconnected mentally for a couple of points in the second set and struggled to make a comeback before raising his level in the final set.
Carlos is eager to embrace the aggressive approach on the fast hard court, risking errors but sticking to his plan of taking the ball early and gaining the advantage before his opponent.
Dazzling tennis from Carlos Alcaraz and Damir Dzumhur ✨@atptour | @TennisTV | @CincyTennis | #ATP #Tennis #CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/6NvVTcVyo5
— Tennis365 (@tennis365com) August 11, 2025
World no. 2 played against three break points and failed to save any. He grabbed 46% of the return points and provided five breaks from ten chances. Everything worked well for the former finalist in the first set.
They hit over 80 unforced errors, and Alcaraz took charge from the baseline while trailing in service winners. Carlos took charge in the first set and generated chances in all four return games.
Alcaraz secured three straight breaks and moved 6-1 in front after 28 minutes. That feeling was gone in the second set! Damir bounced back and secured breaks in games three and five for a massive lead.
Carlos Alcaraz, Cincinnati 2025© Stream screenshot
The Bosnian closed the set at 5-2 and forced a decider. Carlos recovered and provided a break in the fourth game. He held in the next one to move 4-1 in front and closer to the finish line.
However, Alcaraz missed a game point at 4-2 and lost serve to bring his rival back to the positive side. Instead of building on that, Dzumhur hit a double fault in the eighth game and lost serve to fall 5-3 behind.
The Spaniard held in game nine and moved over the finish line.
Carlos Alcaraz, Cincinnati 2025© Stream screenshot
"I would say I need to play better. I started very well and felt the ball nicely. However, if you disconnect mentally, even for a couple of points, everything becomes very complicated, and it's hard to return.
I want to feel much better in my next match. In practice, we talk about being completely focused and thinking positively all the time. If things are not going well, I have to keep doing what I'm doing because eventually I will improve and things will go in the right direction.
That's what I tried today, even after making mistakes. I know what my goals are in this tournament and how I approach each match. I have to stick to that. Those things will work out in the end.
I would like to continue playing very aggressively. The conditions are very fast, and everything becomes much better if you manage to attack first. I would like to make my opponents suffer, and I hope to feel better with every match," Carlos Alcaraz said.
Stefanos Tsitsipas pumps brakes on Jannik Sinner/Carlos Alcaraz e Big 3 comparison
Stefanos Tsitsipas says Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz undoubtedly play at "a very high level," but believes they cannot be declared better than Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer until they emulate their accomplishments.
Since 2024, only two players have been winning Grand Slams in men's tennis. The 23-year-old Italian, who has been ranked at No. 1 since mid-2024, has four in his collection and all have come over the past 20 months. On the other side, the 22-year-old Spanish tennis star already has five Majors in his trophy cabinet.
The way Sinner and Alcaraz have dominated the men's game for the past 20 months resembles the times when the Big Three were untouchable. Naturally, it led to comparisons between the two young stars and the three tennis icons.
Tsitsipas, who arrived on the Tour when the Big Three were still dominating tennis and lost two Grand Slam finals to Djokovic, suggests Sinner and Alcaraz can only be compared to the Big Three when they reach at least the 20-Major win mark.
Tsitsipas: Until Sinner and Alcaraz win as many tournaments as the Big Three, we cannot say thay are better
“I don’t think we can say Sinner and Alcaraz are better than Federer, Nadal and Djokovic until they win as many tournaments and that will take a long time. What we can say is that the level from Jannik and Carlos is very high," the Greek told Tennis365.
After revealing his thoughts on the matter, Tsitsipas also stated that it was normal that new big stars would come and opinioned it would keep happening. Then, he concluded by higlighting that it would be extremely hard for anyone to beat the records set by the Big Three.
“What we can also say is Roger, Rafa and Novak raised the standards and the number of titles they won will be hard to beat," Tsitsipas noted.
Djokovic is still active and he has 24 Grand Slams, while Nadal finished with 22 and Federer concluded his career with 20.
Umag: Luciano Darderi wins title, joins Jannik Sinner on the list
Luciano Darderi enjoy two thrilling weeks in Bastad and Umag. The 23-year-old Italian conquered two titles and became the third player with at least three ATP titles in 2025, joining Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Bublik on the list.
Darderi gained a boost in Bastad and carried it to Umag, lifting his fourth clay-court ATP 250 title with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Carlos Taberner in an hour and 26 minutes.
Thus, Luciano became the fourth Italian champion in Umag and the first since Jannik Sinner in 2022. With 500 ATP points within two weeks, the 23-year-old moved closer to his career-high ranking position.
An UNBELIEVABLE ending in Umag 😱
Luciano Darderi clinched the Croatia Open title but seriously injured himself while celebrating the win 🫢 pic.twitter.com/sIqR3WZcBS
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) July 26, 2025
The Italian struggled a bit with a left ankle injury. He felt the pain after celebrating the title, with Taberner helping him to reach the bench, where he received help. That aside, it was a flawless performance from Darderi.
The 2nd seed took 18 points more than his rival. Luciano dropped seven points in nine service games, facing no break points and mounting the pressure on the other side.
Taberner dropped 40% of the points in his games and gave serve away three times from five chances presented to his opponent. The favorite tamed his strokes nicely and landed 20 winners and 17 unforced errors.
He had the upper hand in service winners and from the baseline, building a massive advantage in the shortest range up to four strokes. Luciano lost two points in five service games in the opening set.
Luciano Darderi, Umag 2025© Stream screenshot
He fired a forehand crosscourt winner in the sixth game, providing a break and moving 4-2 in front. They continued after a short rain delay, and Darderi held at 15 in game nine for 6-3 in 40 minutes.
Carlos suffered another break in the fifth game of the second set, sending a backhand wide and moving closer to the exit door. Darderi held at 30 in the next one and moved 4-2 in front.
The Italian held at love in game eight for 5-3 and made a push on the return in the next one. He seized the second match point with a forced error, falling to the ground and celebrating his second title from as many weeks.
Sinner Wins Maiden Wimbledon Title
Jannik Sinner exacted his revenge on Carlos Alcaraz on Sunday, defeating the two-time defending champion 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in the Wimbledon final to capture his fourth major and become the first Italian man to win the singles crown. The world No. 1, who fell to Alcaraz in a five-hour, 29-minute Roland Garros epic last …
Alcaraz on Rivalry: We Don't See A Level Like This
"It's going to be better and better," Carlos Alcaraz said of his rivalry with Jannik Sinner.
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By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Sunday, July 13, 2025
Photo credit: Clive Brunskill/Getty
The world's top two players share a major mission—and their rivalry will produce more massive moments, Carlos Alcaraz said.
World No. 1 Jannik Sinner dethroned two-time champion Alcaraz 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 to make history as the first Italian to capture a Wimbledon singles crown today.
Afterward, Alcaraz praised Sinner for an "unbelievable" performance.
The second-ranked Spaniard, who suffered his first major final loss after going 5-0 in his five prior Slam finals, says this Wimbledon showdown is only the beginning.
Alcaraz said the rivalry between the pair is unprecedented on the ATP Tour, they've combined to collect seven straight Grand Slam championships, and will only get stronger as they square off in more finals.
"First of all, I [am] just really, really happy about having this rivalry with him. I think it's great for us, and it is great for the tennis," Alcaraz said after seeing his 20-match Wimbledon winning streak snapped. "Every time we playing against each other, I think our level is really high.
"I think we don't watch a level like this, if I'm honest with you. I don't see any player playing against each other, you know, having the level that we are playing when we face each other.
"I think, as I said many, many times, this rivalry, it's coming better and better. We're building really great rivalry because we're playing final of a Grand Slam, final of Master mills, the best tournament in the world. It's going to be better and better."
The pair produced transcendent tennis with Alcaraz saving three championship points to prevail in record-setting five hour, 29-minute Roland Garros final last month.
The 22-year-old Spaniard said Sinner's ultra-high level of play did not surprise him.
Alcaraz said ultimately the key to the match was Sinner's superior second serve—and the fact the reigning Australian Open and US Open champion repeatedly attacked Alcaraz's second serve sometimes ripping backhand strikes down the line.
Overall, Sinner served a higher percentage—62 percent to 53 percent), won 49 percent of second-serve points played on the Spaniard's second serve and flipped the script on the superior net player. Sinner won 30 of 40 trips to net, compared to 17 of 23 net points for Alcaraz.
"The way he played today, it was really, really high. I didn't surprise at all," Alcaraz said. "I knew he was going to play like this. So it was about some details.
Yeah, I mean, overall he didn't surprise me at all because I know he's a big champion…
"I think the big key was about the second serve. He was returning really well there the second serve that I was hitting. Thanks to that, he was in the position to attack in the second ball every time. So it was really difficult when you are feeling that you just defending all the time and running from side to side all the time."
Reflecting on his first major final loss, Alcaraz said he's "grateful" to Sinner because the No. 1 will force the No. 2 to improve his game.
"Just really grateful for that because it gives me the opportunity to just give my 100% every practice, every day," said Alcaraz, who leads the rivalry 8-5 after Sinner snapped a five-match losing streak vs. the Spaniard. "Just to be better, thanks to that. The level that I have to maintain and I have to raise if I want to beat Jannik is really high.
"So I just really grateful for that."
Wimbledon 2025 Day Twelve Recap
Wimbledon’s final weekend is set, and it’s the showdown everyone hoped for. Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz will meet in the 2025 men’s final after both came through their semi-finals on Day Twelve, though in very different ways. Sinner produced a near-flawless performance to dispatch a hampered Novak Djokovic in straight sets, reaching his first …
Wimbledon | Fritz scrapes into S/F to face an imprerious Alcaraz
The last time an American won Wimbledon was 25 years ago courtesy of Pete Sampras and there is an outside chance that the trophy might go back to the US this year after the first step was taken by Fritz Taylor who defeated Karen Khachanov to reach the semi-finals for the first time. His American […]
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